Safety device with fall arrest and descending modes
View Patent ↗A safety device with fall arrest and descending modes includes a housing, a drum, a lifeline, first and second brake assemblies, and a control. The drum is rotatably operatively connected to the housing. The lifeline has an intermediate portion interconnecting a first end and a second end. The first end is operatively connected to the drum. The first and second assemblies are operatively connected to the drum. The control is operatively connected to the first and second brake assemblies and has a first position and a second position. The first position selectively engages the first brake assembly in a descending mode and the second position selectively engages the second brake assembly in a fall arrest mode.
1. A safety device with fall arrest and descending modes, comprising:
a housing;
a drum rotatably operatively connected to the housing;
a lifeline having an intermediate portion interconnecting a first end and a second end, the first end being operatively connected to the drum;
a first brake assembly operatively connected to the drum, the first brake assembly configured and arranged to frictionally control a pay out of the lifeline based solely on the weight of a user during a decent;
a second brake assembly operatively connected to the drum, the second brake assembly configured and arranged to be used during a fall event; and
a control operatively connected to the first and second brake assemblies and having a first position and a second position, the first position selectively engaging the first brake assembly and the second position selectively engaging the second brake assembly.
2. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the first position activates a descending mode and the second position activates a fall arrest mode.
3. The safety device of claim 2 , wherein the control is configured and arranged to be switched from the second position to the first position.
4. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second brake assemblies are operatively connected.
5. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the first brake assembly includes a rotor to which at least one first pawl having a friction pad is pivotally operatively connected, the friction pad contacting the housing when the rotor rotates to decrease a rotational rate of the rotor.
6. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the second brake assembly includes a gear assembly and at least one second pawl, the at least one second pawl being operatively connected to the drum and configured and arranged to engage the gear assembly when the drum rotates at a predetermined speed.
7. The safety device of claim 1 , further comprising a shaft operatively connecting the first and second brake assemblies and the control, the control locking the shaft relative to the housing in the second position thereby activating a fall arrest mode, the control allowing the shaft to rotate relative to the housing in the first position thereby activating a descending mode.
8. The safety device of claim 7 , wherein the shaft includes first and second teeth.
9. The safety device of claim 8 , wherein the first brake assembly includes a rotor to which at least one first pawl having a friction pad is pivotally operatively connected, the rotor including a gear, further comprising a first spur gear with inner teeth and outer teeth, the inner teeth mating with the first teeth of the shaft and the outer teeth mating with the gear of the rotor to interconnect the shaft and the rotor, the friction pad contacting the housing when the rotor rotates to decrease a rotational rate of the rotor.
10. The safety device of claim 8 , wherein the second brake assembly includes a gear assembly and at least one second pawl, the gear assembly including a second spur gear mating with the second teeth of the shaft, the at least one second pawl being operatively connected to the drum and configured and arranged to engage the gear assembly when the drum rotates at a predetermined speed.
11. A safety device with fall arrest and descending modes, comprising:
a housing;
a drum rotatably operatively connected to the housing;
a lifeline having an intermediate portion interconnecting a first end and a second end, the first end being operatively connected to the drum, at least a portion of the intermediate portion being wound about the drum, the second end being operatively connected to a hook;
a first brake assembly and a second brake assembly operatively connected to the drum, the first brake assembly including a rotor to which at least one first pawl having a friction pad is pivotally operatively connected and a first spur gear, the rotor including a rotor gear, the first spur gear including inner teeth and outer teeth, the second brake assembly including a gear assembly and at least one second pawl, the gear assembly including a second spur gear;
a shaft including first and second teeth and operatively connecting the first and second brake assemblies, the inner teeth of the first spur gear mating with the first teeth of the shaft and the outer teeth mating with the rotor gear to interconnect the shaft and the rotor, the second spur gear mating with the second teeth of the shaft; and
a control operatively connected to the shaft and having a first position and a second position, the first position allowing the shaft to rotate and selectively engaging the first brake assembly in a descending mode, the friction pad contacting the housing when the rotor rotates to decrease a rotational rate of the rotor, the second position locking the shaft in relation to the housing and selectively engaging the second brake assembly in a fall arrest mode, the at least one second pawl being operatively connected to the drum and configured and arranged to engage the gear assembly when the drum rotates at a predetermined speed.
12. The safety device of claim 11 , wherein the control is configured and arranged to be switched from the second position to the first position.
13. A method of using a safety device having fall arrest and descending modes, the device comprising a housing, a drum rotatably operatively connected to the housing, a lifeline having an intermediate portion interconnecting a first end and a second end, the first end being operatively connected to the drum, a first brake assembly and a second brake assembly operatively connected to the drum, a shaft interconnecting the first and second brake assemblies, and a control operatively connected to the shaft and having a first position and a second position, the first position allowing the shaft to rotate and selectively engaging the first brake assembly in a descending mode, the second position locking the shaft and selectively engaging the second brake assembly in a fall arrest mode, comprising:
positioning the control in the second position thereby locking the shaft relative to a housing and activating the second brake assembly in the fall arrest mode.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning the control in the first position thereby allowing the shaft to rotate relative to the housing and activating the first brake assembly in the descending mode.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising positioning the control in the first position thereby allowing the shaft to rotate relative to the housing and activating the first brake assembly in the descending mode after a fall has occurred.